Despite a continuing push to challenge the Affordable Care Act, the no co-pay birth control mandate, and a call to protect “religious freedoms,” a new poll released today by Catholics for Choice shows that a vast number of self-identified Catholics are more interested in job creation and the economy than they are in the agenda being pushed by the hierarchy of the Catholic Church in the United States.

According to the survey of 1000 self-described Catholic voters, 83 percent believe that they are not obligated to vote in the same way that their bishop urges, and 76 percent believe Catholic politicians aren’t required to legislate as the bishops wish, ether.

“As we prepare to vote in this election, we have witnessed a concerted effort by the US bishops to convince Catholics that some issues are more important than others,” said Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice via email release. “The Fortnight for Freedom was just one part of their campaign. Some bishops and priests have been less subtle, giving explicit voting advice to congregants. In short, the bishops are trying to bully Catholics to vote in a certain way. This poll shows that the bishops’ efforts have been a spectacular failure. Catholics reject this type of politicking from the pulpit and refuse to be cowed by their religious leaders. Just like other Americans, Catholics care most about the bread and butter issues that affect our families when we consider the political decisions to be made come November 6.”